Cost of Living Comparison Between Eau Claire, WI and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Eau Claire, WI and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,209 in Eau Claire, WI versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,113 in Eau Claire, WI versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,017 in Eau Claire, WI versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Eau Claire, WI is roughly 75% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Eau Claire, WI is 65% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.95 $14.95

$4.70 ฿154

218.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.4 $74.4

$45.37 ฿1,488

63.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.92 $9.92

$8.43 ฿276

17.67%

Cappuccino

$5.17 $5.17

$2.93 ฿96.0

76.45%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 $2.72

$0.69 ฿22.48

294.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 $1.52

$0.37 ฿12.04

310.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.78 $3.78

$2.41 ฿79.0

56.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.65 $5.65

$3.72 ฿122

51.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.75 $0.75

$2.23 ฿73.2

-66.37%

White Bread (500g)

$3.32 $3.32

$1.83 ฿60.1

81.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.17 $5.17

$2.17 ฿71.1

138.25%

Eggs

$3.42 $3.42

$2.21 ฿72.6

54.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.00 $14.00

$19.74 ฿647

-29.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.35 $13.35

$3.63 ฿119

267.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.06 $14.06

$13.53 ฿444

3.92%

Apples (1kg)

$4.42 $4.42

$3.28 ฿107

34.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.61 ฿52.8

-33.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.94 $5.94

$2.41 ฿79.0

146.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.80 $4.80

$2.08 ฿68.3

130.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 $2.71

$1.53 ฿50.1

77.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.48 ฿48.56

97.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 $1.47

$0.99 ฿32.42

48.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.51 ฿16.73

296.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.13 $10.13

$4.41 ฿144

129.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.82 $14.82

$19.38 ฿636

-23.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.78 ฿58.3

15.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 $4.74

$2.71 ฿88.9

74.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.15 $2.15

$1.37 ฿44.96

56.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.6 $50.6

$11.39 ฿374

344.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 $4.46

$3.02 ฿99.0

47.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.16 $2.16

$0.99 ฿32.61

118.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.29 $42.29

$14.10 ฿462

199.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.36 ฿44.68

-39.71%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$25.3K $25.3K

$28.2K ฿924.7K

-10.17%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.4K $25.4K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-22.85%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$213 $213

$122 ฿3,991

74.99%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$46.74 $46.74

$13.57 ฿445

244.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.2 $72.2

$18.31 ฿600

294.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.50 $45.50

$60.2 ฿1,975

-24.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.31 $20.31

$17.14 ฿562

18.49%

Cinema Ticket

$10.57 $10.57

$8.69 ฿285

21.63%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,016 $1,016

$693 ฿22.7K

46.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.0K $25.0K

$15.7K ฿514.4K

59.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.83 $45.83

$59.5 ฿1,952

-23.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.96 $29.96

$34.77 ฿1,140

-13.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$115 ฿3,758

-11.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 $91.2

$83.3 ฿2,731

9.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,050 $1,050

$613 ฿20.1K

71.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$928 $928

$437 ฿14.3K

112.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,561 $1,561

$2,094 ฿68.7K

-25.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 $1,247

$1,509 ฿49.5K

-17.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 $1,974

$3,749 ฿122.9K

-47.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,001 $2,001

$2,616 ฿85.8K

-23.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,861 $3,861

$508 ฿16.7K

659.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

5.33

21.01%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Eau Claire, WI: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,050 in Eau Claire, WI and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Eau Claire, WI pays 660% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $74.0 in Eau Claire, WI vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $396 vs $293 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Eau Claire, WI vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 75% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Eau Claire, WI pays 660% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,050 in Eau Claire, WI versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 35% higher in Eau Claire, WI. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $74.0 in Eau Claire, WI. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,209 in Eau Claire, WI, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Eau Claire, WI. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Eau Claire, WI, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Eau Claire, WI and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 75% less than in Eau Claire, WI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.